Montana: Montana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings

Each ESA is funded from part of the state and local funds allocated for a student at their local public school. The eligible ESA value is calculated by a combination of factors under the state’s BASE aid and dependent upon the student’s resident district.

Estimate values for elementary students fall between $5,000 and $6,000 annually, while high school students have estimated awards between $6,400 and $8,000 annually.

Parents may request reimbursement after submission of eligible expense receipts. Parents may request reimbursement monthly.

• Income Limit: None
• Prior Year Public School Requirement: Conditional
• Testing Mandates: None
• Special Needs Pathway: Pathway

To qualify, students must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and be identified as having special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition of a “child with a disability” which includes the following:

• Autism
• An intellectual disability
• Hearing or visual impairment
• Speech or language impairment
• Serious emotional disturbance
• An orthopedic impairment
• Traumatic brain injury
• Another health impairment and/or a specific learning disability

Qualified students must also be Montana state residents between ages 5 and 19, and must have attended public school in the previous year, or be newly eligible to attend public school in Montana, or have been enrolled in the previous school year at a school for juvenile corrections or the deaf and blind.

Applications will be available twice a year:

1. May 1 - June 1
2. November 1 - December 1

A link to the online application will be available on the ESA website here. The application requires the following documents:

• Names of parent and student
• Student’s DOB
• Student’s state identification number (available from the resident school district)
• Parent’s contact information
• Copy of IEP/IDEA designation
• Name of current school district

Qualifying expenses for education savings accounts include the following

• Tuition and fees
• Software
• Online programs and tutoring
• Distance learning
• Curriculum and supplemental materials
• Educational therapies and services
• Standardized test fees (plus college entrance)
• Unbundled courses at public school
• $50 for consumables (e.g., paper and pens)
• Transportation
• College Tuition
• Books
• Feeds to education co-op

ESA funds roll over each year until the student’s 24th birthday.

Additional Program Guidelines

• Enrollment Cap: None
• Budget Cap: None
• Account Value:  BASE Aid Calculation; Estimated $6,000 for Elementary and $8,000 for High School

Participant and Family Guidelines

• Click Here for the Program Administrator’s Parent Handbook
• Education Requirements: Ensure participating student receives an education in the same subjects required of public schools from school
• Parent Supplemented Funds/Scholarships: Allowed
• Disbursement/Payment Frequency: Reimbursement, monthly as requested
• Reimbursement Allowed: Yes
• Miscellaneous:

• Submit copies of receipts to superintendent of public instruction
• Notify superintendent of public instruction if the student re-enrolls in public schools
• Attend regularly if enrolled at qualified school
• Comply with school’s published policies
• Release district school from any and all obligations to education participating student

Education Provider Guidelines

• Accreditation/Approval: Meets all state requirements for nonpublic schools
• Employment Standards: All teachers and staff with unsupervised contact with students must undergo a background check
• Nondiscrimination: Comply with state and federal nondiscrimination laws
• Calendar/Curriculum/Attendance:

• Provides instruction in the subjects required of public schools
• Maintains records of pupil attendance and immunization
• Provides the minimum aggregate hours of public instruction required of public schools

• Miscellaneous:

• Complies with local health and safety regulations
• Complies with any local requirements for an occupancy permit

(Last updated December 12, 2024)

Mont. Code Ann. §§ 20-7-1701 – 1710

(Last updated July 15, 2024)